Feeler mechanism for looms



OFFICE.

ISAAC SNOW, OF LAWRENCE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO DRAPERCORPORATION,

0F HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, A; CORPORATION OF MAINE.

FEELER iancnaivisivr non Looms.

Application filed. March 1,

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, ISAAC SNo-w, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lawrence, in th county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in l eeler Mechanisms for Looms, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to feeler mechanisms for looms, in which means is provided for effecting replenishment of filling when that in the active shuttle becomes substantially exhausted. 1

Various forms of feeler mechanisms have heretofore been suggested. Among these is that type of feeler mechanism wherein the feeler is moved longitudinally of the shuttle when the filling is substantially exhausted on a detecting beat, and by such movement effects replenishment of filling. The present invention is more especially directed to improvements on this type of feeler mechanism, and aims to provide a feeler mechanism which shall be sensitive to the presence or substantial absence of filling in the shuttle, so that partial picks shall be avoided, and yet the filling shall be replenished with the least amount of waste.

In the present invention, two filling engaging members or feelers are provided, each of which engages a surface within the shuttle on each detecting beat, and one of such feelers is provided with teeth, which, by engagement with the filling in the shuttle, prevent movement of the other feeler in a. direction to effect replenishment of filling.

.The two feelers are connected so that one controls the side swipe movement of the other longitudinally of the shuttle.

The various novel features of the invention and combination of parts will best be understood from the following description and accompanying drawings of one good form of the invention, it being understood that the details may be varied without departing from the real scope of the claims to be hereinafter made.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of the feeler mechanism of the loom, some of the parts being omitted for clearness of illustration;

Fig. 2 is a detached detail on an enlarged scale, showing the action of the feeler mechspeeification of Letters Patent. Patented A11 9,1921.

1.920. serm No. 362,880.

anism when a working supply of filling is present in the shuttle on a detecting beat;

Fig. 3 is a view'similar to that of Fig. 2, showing the actionof the feeler mechanism when the filling is substantially exhausted; Fig. 4 is a perspective detail with parts broken away, showing the feelers and their controlling connections; and

Fig. 5 is a side view of the rear end portion of the feeler carrier.

The 100m frame 1 may be of usual constructionsuitable for supporting the operating'parts. Secured to the loom frame are bearing brackets 2 on each side of the loom, for supporting the transverse or rock shaft 3. Rising from the rock shaft 3 is the arm 1, to the upper end ofwhich is pivotally connected at 5 the latch 6, therear end portion 7 ofwhich is adapted to be engaged by an operating member 8 when filling is to be replenished.

-The lay is provided with the usual shuttle box 9 for the reception of the shuttle 10. The front wall of the shuttle box is slotted at 11, and so also is the adjacent wall of the shuttle as at 12, the construction being such that when the shuttle in which the filling carrier 13 is mounted, is in the replenishing box, the slots or-openings 11 and 12 of the shuttle box and shuttle will register to permit the entrance of the feelers as will later appear.

The shipper stand 14: has extending therefrom the slotted Supporting arm 15, on which is adjustably mounted the bracket 16.

The bracket '16 may be adjustably connected to the arm 15 by a bolt 1 To the upper portion of the bracket 16 is secured the feeler stand 18 which may be variously contrived, and in the present instance consists of a plate having upturnedfront and rear portions 19 and 20 respectively, forming guideways for a feeler carrier 21 which may be variously contrived. The feeler stand '18 may be adjustably secured to the bracket 16 by the bolts or screws 22 which pass through a slot 23 in the feeler stand. i

The feeler carrier 21 in the present instance of the invention, is formed of a'slide which passes through a guide opening 24 in the rear flange 20 of the feeler stand, and has a frontwardly-extending stem 25 which passes through an opening in the front guide flange 19, the construction being such that the feeler carrier may reciprocate toward and from the front of the loom in the supporting guides.

A spring normally acts to hold the feeler carrier in its rearward position, and in the present instance of the invention, the spring 26 is mounted on the stem 25 between the Shoulder 27 of the feeler carrier and the front bearing flange 19, the construction being such that the spring 26 normally holds the feeler carrier in its rearward position. A stop 28, Fig. 1, serves to limit the rearward movement of the feeler carrier responsive to the spring 26 by engagement with the front of the front flange 19.

The feeler carrier has mounted thereon the feelers, both of. which enter the shuttle and engage a surface therein on each detect-ing beat. The feeler carrier may be differently contrived, but a convenient form thereof is illustrated as comprising a bi furcated rear portion 29, between which the two feelers and their connections may oper ate, and by which the mechanism may be housed or protected. This bifurcated por. tion on the rear end of the feeler carrier is a convenient construction, but of course it is not essential in all aspects of the invention.

Pivotally mounted on the feeler carrier 21 at 30 is a lever 31, the front end portion of which is connected at 32 to a link or transmitter 33, the opposite end portion of which is connected at 34 to one arm of the bell crank lever 35 pivotally supported at 36 on the stand 37 rising from the loom frame. A stop 38 may limit the movement of the bell crank lever 25 in one direction. One arm of the bell crank lever 35 as indicated in Fig. 1, extends beneath the latch 6, the construction being such that when the bell crank lever is moved on its pivotal support contracloclrwise in the illustration of Fig. 1, the end 7 of the latch 6 will be placed in the path of movement of the operating member 8, and filling replenishment will be effected.

The lever 31 has a laterally and reai wardly-extending arm 39, the rear surface 40 of which is smooth or untoothed. From the construction thus far described, it will be apparent that should the end 40 of'the laterally and rearwardly-extending arm 39 of the lever 31 be pushed frontwardly, it will cause the lever 31 to be turned upon its pivotal mounting 30 and the contacting sur face 40 of. the arm 39 will ride longitudinally along the frontwardly pushing surface within the shuttle.

The laterally and rearwardly-extending arm 39, which constitutes one of the feelers, has connected thereto a second feeler having a toothed surface for engagement with the filling, so that when the filling is present in the shuttle on a detecting beat,the

toothed feeler may be held from movement longitudinally of the shuttle, and through its connection with the other feeler, control or prevent movement of said other feeler in a direction longitudinally of the shuttle. In the present instance of the invention, the toothed feeler 41 is pivoted at 42 to the arm 39, and its engaging portion is toothed at 43, the construction being such that upon frontward pressure being applied to both the feelers, the toothed feeler 41 will pre vent movement of both feelers longitudinally of the shuttle when a working supply of filling is present on a detecting beat, and will permit such movement when, on a detecting beat, the filling is substantially exhausted.

The feeler 41 is preferably formed of two portions, one each side of the lever 31, as indicated in F 4. Such construction enables the toothed feeler to have a more extended and controlling action upon the surface engaged by it within the shuttle on a detecting beat.

Extending from the pivotal support 42, connecting the feeler 41 with the other feeler, is the arm 44 to which is pivoted at 45 the pin 46 passing loosely through a lug 47 formed on the feeler carrier 21.. A spring 48 surrounds the pin 46 between the lug 47 and the pivotal connection 45 of the pin 46 with the feeler, and normally acts to throw the toothed end portion 43 of the feeler into its rearward position, which is preferably slightly rearward of the smooth surface 40 of the other feeler. A suitable stop is employed for limiting the action of the spring 48. In the present instance such stop is formed by making the feeler 41 and its arm 44 to straddle the lever 31 and the rearwardly projecting arm 39, as indicated in Fig. 4, the construction being such that when the parts are in normal feeling posi tion, as indicated in Fig. 2, the toothed end portion of the feeler 41 will extend slightly rearward of the smooth-surfaced portion of the companion feeler.

When a working supply of filling is pres ent in the shuttle on a detecting beat, as indicated in Fig. 2, the teeth 43 of the feeler 41 will sink into the filling as the lay heats up, and then both feelers 40 and 41 will be moved frontwardly by frontwarrl pressure against them, and also move the feeler carrier 21 frontwardly, the teeth 43 at such times acting to prevent movement of the feelers longitudinally of the shuttle by engagement with the filling. The effect of this is that the lever 31 remains in its normal relation with the feeler carrier 21, as indi cated in Fig. 2. lVhen, however, the filling has become substantially exhausted on a detecting beat, it will no longer be able to hold the feeler 41 from movement longitudinally of the shuttle by engagement with the teeth face of the filling carrier or bobbin. When the lever 31 is moved as last described, it

will act through the transmitter 33 to place the end of the latch 6 in the path of the operating member 8, and effect replenishment of filling.

What is claimed is:

-1. In a feeler mechanism for looms,the combination of a feeler slide mounted for movement toward and from the front of the loom, a feeler carrying lever pivotally mounted onthe feeler slide, one arm of said lever being extended laterally to be engaged by a surface within the shuttle on each detecting beat and tending, under the frontward pressure upon it, to turn the said lever, a feeler pivotally mounted on the said arm and having teeth which sinli into the filling on a detecting beat and prevent movement of the feeler carrying lever responsive to the frontward push upon the arm until the filling is substantially exhausted, and means connected to the feeler carrying lever for effecting replenishment of filling when the said lever is turned on its pivotal mounting.

2. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler carrier movable toward and from the front of the loom, a feeler carrying lever having a laterally extended arm to receive the frontward pres sure of a surface within the shuttle on a de tecting beat and at such times tending to move the feeler carrying lever laterally, a feeler connected to said arm for movement longitudinally of the shuttle by said arm when the lever is moved laterally and held from such longitudinal movement by the filling until substantial exhaustion thereof, and means connected to the feeler carrying lever for effecting replenishment of filling when the lever is moved laterally on a detecting beat. I

3. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler carrier mounted for movement toward and from the front of the loom, a lever mounted on the carrier. and having an arm extended laterally which receives the frontward pressure of a surface within the shuttleon each detecting beat, and a feelerpivoted to the laterally extended arm of the lever and adapted to be moved longitudinally of the shuttle by said arm when the arm is moved frontwardly relative to the feeler carrier by the frontward pressure upon it on a detecting beat and acting to prevent such movement of the arm relative to the feeler carrier by engagement with the filling until the filling is substantially exhausted.

4. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the

combination of a feeler carrier mounted for movement toward and from the front of the loom, a lever mounted on the carrier and having a laterally and rearwardly extended arms to engage a surface within the shuttle on each detecting beat, a feeler connected to the arm and'having a toothed engagingend toengage a surface within the shuttle on "each detecting beat, a spring for normally holding the toothed engaging end of the feeler rearwardly of said arm, and means for effecting replenishment of filling when the lever is turned on its mounting by the frontward pressure upon the arm.

5. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler carrier mounted for movement towardand from the front of the loom, alever mountedon the carrier and having a laterally and rearwardly extended arm to engage a surface within the shuttle on each detecting beat, a feeler connected to the arm and having a toothed engaging end to engage a surface within the shuttle on each detecting beat, a spring for normally holding the toothed engaging end of the feeler rearwardly of said arm, a stop for limiting the rearward position of the feeler, and means for effecting replenishment of filling when the lever is turned on its mounting by the frontward pressure upon the arm.

6. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler carrier, a feeler carrying lever mounted on the carrier andprovided with an arm having a, smooth sur- 7 'is substantially exhausted and then permitting such movement of the arm and swinging movement of the feeler carrying lever, and means for effecting replenishment of fillin 7. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler carrier, a lever pivoted on the carrier, means for effecting replenishment of filling when the lever is turned upon its pivot on a detectingbeat, and two members carried by the lever for engaging a surface within the shuttle on each detecting beat, one having a smooth engaging surface and the other a toothed engaging surface which by engagement with the filling on a detecting beat prevent movement of both of said members longitudinally of the shuttle until the filling is substantially exthe shuttle on each detecting beat and tend- 7 ing to turn the lever due to the frontward pressure on the arm, and a toothed feeler connectecto the lever and which is moved longitudinally of the shuttle'when the lever is turned upon its pivot and is held from su h movement by engagement with the filling until substantial exhaust-ion thereof on a detecting beat.

9. A. l tddl me hanism for looms comprising. in 'ombination, a feeler carrier, 21 lcvcr movably mounted on the carrier, means for effecting replenishment of filling when the lever is moved on the carrier on a detecting beat, and two members for controlling the movement of the lever each adapted to be engaged by a surface carried by the lay and moved relatively to the carrier, one of said members tending to move the lever due to the frontward pressure upon said member on a detecting beat and the other preventing such movement of the lever on a detecting beat until the filling is substantially exhausted.

10. A feeler mechanism for looms, comprising, in combination, a feeler carrier, a lover movably mounted. means for effecting replenishment of filling when the lever is moved on tl e carrier on a detecting beat, and two members for controlling the movement of the lever each adapted to be engaged by a surface carried by the lay and moved relatively to the carrier, one of said members tending to move the lever due to the frontward pressure upon said member on a detecting beat and the other connected to the first-named member and preventing such movement of the lever on a detecting beat until the filling is substantially exhausted.

11. A feeler mechanism for looms, com prising, in combination, a feeler carrier mounted for movement toward and from the front of the loom, a feeler lever pivoted on the carrier, and two movably connected members carried by the feeler lever for controlling its movement relative to the carrier,

one of said members adapted to have a force exerted thereupon on a detecting beat by a surface carried by the lay, and the other memberadapted to engage the filling and be held thereby to control the movement of the first member.

12. A feeler mechanism for looms, comon the carrier,-

mounted for movement toward and from the front of the'loom, two members for engaging a surface within the shuttle and supported by thefeeler carrier for movement in the same direction longitudinally of the shuttle by the frontward pressure thereagainst on a detecting beat and both held from such longitudinal movement by engagement of one of said members with the filling on a detecting beat until substantial exhaustion thereof, and means for eff replenishment of filling when both or said members move longitudinally of the shuttle.

14. A feeler mechanism for looms, com prising, in coml'iination, a feeler carrier mounted for movement toward and from the front of the loom, a member pivotally mounted upon the carrier to engage a surface within the shuttle and to be moved frontwardly and longitudinally of the shuttle on a detecting beat by frontward pressure of said feeler, a toothed filling engaging member connected to the pivoted memher and adapted to be moved longitudinally of the shuttle by the pivoted member on a detecting beat when filling is substantially exhausted and to hold the pivoted member from moving longitudinally of the shuttle when a working supply of filling is present.

15. A feeler mechanism for looms, com- )rising, in combination, a pivoted member mounted to engage a surface carried by the lay and to be moved frontwardly and in a direction longitudinally of the shuttle on a detecting beat by frontward pressure of said surface, a toothed filling engaging member connected to the pivoted member and adapted to be pulled by the pivoted member on a detecting beat longitudinally of the shuttle when filling is substantially exhausted and to hold the pivoted member from moving longitudinally of the shuttle when a working supply of filling is present, and means operated by movement ofthe pivoted member longitudinally of the shuttle to effect replenishment of filling.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

ISAAC SNOW. 

